Cake of the Week: Monster Cookies

Now what starts with the letter C?
Cookie starts with C. Let’s think of other things that start with C!
Ah who cares about other things!?!

Agreed Cookie Monster. Agreed. I don’t think there’s any doubt around here that, though I may not be blue or have googley eyes, I’m a bit of a cookie monster myself. They’re just so good! Chewy cookies, crunchy cookies, oatey or chocolatey or sugary cookies! I like them all. And they go so well with coffee, for snack, after meals, yummm all the time.

And what does a cookie monster need? A MONSTER COOKIE!

The Monster Cookies at Corner Bakery Café, a dangerously few short blocks from my office, are my (now ex)-co-worker Tracy’s favorites. Unlike other monster cookies, this recipe doesn't have oatmeal or raisins or nuts – they’re all about the chocolate. Chocolate chips inside, mini M&Ms outside. They taste like everything a chocolate chip cookie should – buttery, and chocolately, and a tiny bit salty.The outsides are a bit crispy and the insides are super-gooey-chewy.

I made these to bring to work last week and they were GREAT.  I made the dough a day in advance, refrigerated it before shaping the cookies, then I froze the shaped balls of dough overnight. That whole process isn’t necessary, that’s just how timing best worked out for me. But if you don’t have time to chill or freeze the dough, I suggest adding a ½ cup more flour…otherwise they may spread out waaaay too much on the pans.

Ready for some other wise words from the muppet himself? A cookie with one bite out of it looks like a C! A round donut with a bite out of it also looks like a C! 

See what I mean? We’re totally on the same page.  After my marathon this Saturday it’s going to be donut time.

Monster Cookies

This recipe makes 3-4 dozen cookies. It can easily be halved if you’re feeling like controlling your inner monster. Oh and it’s a one-bowl recipe! Yay fewer dishes!

Printable recipe. 
Ingredients:

• 2 sticks/16 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large egg
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 bag (about 2 ½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini M&Ms (I used 4 of these little tubes)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix butter and sugars for about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
3. Add in flour, baking soda and salt to bowl, and stir until combined. Mix in chocolate chips. Mix 3 or 4 times then add chocolate chips, mixing until just combined. 
4. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, preferably a couple hour or overnight. Scoop 2-tablespoon-sized chunks of dough and use your hands to shape them into balls. Pour out M&Ms into a shallow bowl. Roll the balls in the M&Ms (I did M&Ms just on the top and sides of each ball, so not quite all the way around). 
5. Freeze cookies overnight (optional).
6. Place cookies on sheet, 1-2 inches apart (they spread a lot). 
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until nice and golden brown but still semi-soft in center. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. 
8. Serve and enjoy! (Best fresh out of the oven, obviously. You should eat these or freeze them in the first day or two, after that they’re still good but they dry out a bit.)

Printable recipe. 

For more cookies inspired by DC bakeries, try my Presidential Sweet Cookies (à la Firehook), or my Salty Oatmeal Cookies (à la Teaism).